Starting a farm

by Riki
(Glina, Croatia)

An important step, after buying your property, is to get to the local opcina (pronounced op-chee-na). They must issue you with a license to run your farm. You have to buy a form (12 kuna) and fill it out. Someone will come inspect your farm and take GPS readings. You then get a green license card.

This card entitles you to sell produce at any market in the country. It also opens up funding in the form of annual grants. You get a certain amount from the goverment each year for each chicken, goat, pigs etc you have. There are also funding options for starting orchards and vineyards.

It all starts with the license though. I had no idea that this was the procedure. Luckily I have not tried to sell anything illegally yet! Most people told me that you can just sell anything you want on the local market but to sell in the rest of the country you need a license. This is not true, you need a license regardless, I think they just don't check the locals.

I have just started this procedure so I will update my progress and any other findings as I go. It's just important for everyone to know that before you start ANY business you must go to the opcina and check what the regulations are.